Category: Animals

Out of curiosity, I decided to see how challenging it would be to dress our loyal and long-suffering -- and did I mention gorgeous -- cat, Mendy (short for Mendeley) in fancy bridal duds (veil and garter) -- to test his reactions as a potential member of a wedding party. This was just an experiment in connection with today's topic, but it resulted in Mendy's thorough disapproval, as noted by his expression in the portrait above; I'm not sure if that's because I dressed him as a bride (that's all that was handy from our daughter's childhood bridal teddy bear set) or just the whole idea of expecting him to engage in such a venture! I showed my gratitude for his (very brief) cooperation by bribing him with his favorite treats, and realized the only way I would have a prayer of luring Mendy down the aisle in an actual wedding would be to scatter catnip instead of rose petals. And, even then he might decide to roll around in it rather than proceed with dignity in the processional.

Hurricane Sandy taught us, once again, that we Earth beings of all species have little defense against the forces of nature when they turn against us. All along the Eastern Seaboard, Hurricane / Cyclone / Storm Sandy wreaked horrific destruction and death the weekend before Halloween. This followed a tsunami in the Pacific and an earthquake in Los Angeles.

But, Superstorm Sandy left the most damage in her wake. Some lost their loved ones and many more suffered damage to their homes and possessions or lost them altogether, and thousands more lost power and many are still coping with, extended outages. And, now to add to the agony are long gas lines and a temporary gas shortage due to a delay in ships being allowed to enter New York Harbor.

Whether you travel by bicycle for recreation, such as touring or mountain biking, or you use your bicycle to get to or do your work, there are the rules of the road and the rules of etiquette to follow.

The important fact to remember when you are bicycling on the highway, trail or city street, is that you are on one of the most vulnerable vehicles on the road. But, it’s not just other vehicles with which you must contend; expect to encounter pedestrians (including children, people pushing strollers, disabled and elderly people), dogs, deer, horses, other bicyclists, etc. Many motorists resent bicyclists on the road because they are afraid they are going to hit a bicyclist; many pedestrians resent bicyclists on the trail and city streets because they fear the bicyclist will run into them. Bicyclists have been known to flout the law by speeding, running red lights, disregarding pedestrians, failing to signal properly, riding erratically or in a driver’s blind spot. Bicyclists are frequently viewed as nuisances on the road, trail or in the city.

In addition to crowded beaches and long lines, traveling to one’s vacation destination can test the mettle of the politest among us. Many road conditions are simply out of our control, but how we behave and react to them is most definitely within our control. That’s where etiquette for the road comes into play.